Rubber boot



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH LACROIX, OF FALL RIVER, MASSACHUSETTS.

RUBBER BOOT.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 556,059, dated March 10,1896. Application filed November 30, 1895. Serial No. 570,615. (Nomodel.)

To aZZ whom-it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOSEPH LAOROIX, aciti zen of the United States,residing at Fall River, in the county of Bristol and State ofMassachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in RubberBoots, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to rubber boots, and it has for its object toprolong the wear of the boot by preventing tearing, breaking, and

squashing down, the latter referring particularly to the leg and ankleportion, the tearing being most likely to occur at the top and thebreaking occurring most frequently at the ankles and the portions aboveand in front of the heel; and the improvement comprises a skeleton frameadapted to be placed adhesively between the rubber and the lining of theboot, more especially of the leg portion thereof and the sole.

The nature of the invention is fully described below and illustrated inthe accompanying drawings, in WlliCl1 Figure 1 is an elevation of arubber boot embodying my invention, portions of the rubber being brokenout for purposes of better illustration. Fig. 2 is a view in perspectiveof the skeleton frame removed. Fig. '3 is a horizontal section taken online 3, Fig. 1.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

The skeleton frame consists essentially of the ring portion A, whichlies between the lining S and the rubber Y at or near the upper edge ofthe leg portion; a horizontal and substantially straight portion 13,which lies between the sole and the lining; the substantially uprightrear portion 0, which extends between the rubber and the lining at therear from the portion A to the rear end of the portion B; the sideportions D, which extend vertically from the portion A to the portion13; the band E, which extends horizontally from one to the other of theportions D between the upper and the lining forming the front of theleg; the ankle-band E, which extends from one to the other of theportions D rearward at substantially the point of the ankle, and theupright portion H, which extends in front from the portion A to theportion B. All these portions which constitute the frame are between therubber and the lining, and each consists essentially of a strip ofwhalebone 5 or analogous material suitably covered and flanked by stripsof fabric 6. The whalebone is for supporting the boot and holding it inshape, thus preventing it from breaking or squashing down, while thefabric 6 is for the purpose of adhesively securing the frame between thelining and the rubber and to provide pockets for the whalebones.

The different portions of the frame are secured together by suitableclamps a in order to prevent any relative play of the parts, andconsequently to prevent the ends of any of the parts from forcing andprojecting through the rubber. In attaching the horizontal to thevertical portions it is advisable that the ends of the whalebones in thehorizontal portions should reach and abut (as nearly as possible)against the edges of the whalebones in the vertical portions, asillustrated in Fig. 3, the clamps extending through the whalebones aswell as through the fabric. Care is taken to provide these stiffeningportions where they are most needed. Hence the portion F is located atthe ankle, the portions D and C at the sides and back, &c. Ido notconfine myself, however, to these exact locations, nor to the precisenumber of parts constituting the skeleton frame. The width of the partsis also subject to some variation, that of the sole portion B beingnaturally wider than the other portions.

The straps K are clamped at K to the upright portions D, and hence thestrain of the pull is communicated directly to the bottom of the boot,and tearing at the top is efiectually prevented.

The danger of breakage and tearing is so much lessened by the use of theskeleton frame that a cheaper and less amount of rubber can be used inthe manufacture and a stronger and better boot produced.

It is evident that the improvement can be 5 applied to a boot having aleg portion of any lined material.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire tosecure by Letters 1 Patent, is-- IOO In combination with the main orouter portion of a boot and the lining thereof, a skeleton framecomprising the ring or band A set horizontally near the upper edge ofthe boot- 5 leg, the part B set next the sole, and vertical connectingstiifening-strips as D C connecting said parts A B, and loops K securedto said uprights, all said parts of the frame being between the liningand outer portion of the boot, substantially as set forth.

JOSEPH LACROIX. \Vitnesses:

.DONTAGUE DESNOYERS, ARTHUR DESTREMPS.

